Chapter 1097: Scorched World.

A huge fist is right in front of my face. If I had been even a moment slower, this fist would have smashed right into my face.

The fist, frozen and unmoving. As I stared intently at it.

“What did you just say?”

Paejon’s voice reached me. The fist was still there, right in front of me. Even the qi surrounding it remained the same.

Meaning he hadn’t relaxed his strength.

Confirming that, I glanced slightly at Paejon.

“My identity.”

I asked, meeting his eyes.

“I answered because you asked.”

“I asked what you called it.”

“I said, a disciple.”

“……Whose?”

At that, I pointed a hand at the large old man before me.

“You, sir.”

“……Huh?”

A gust of air accompanied by a sharp exhale could be felt. Seeing that, I twisted my body and clenched my fist.

Tua-mu Kwon.

Paejon’s Tua-mu Kwon manifested.

Tua-mu Kwon.

I countered with Tua-mu Kwon as well.

Kuaaaaaa—-!!!

A shockwave erupted, sending impacts through the surroundings. Trees and rocks were pushed away once more. The distance between Paejon and me widened slightly.

Seeing this, I scowled.

“Hey, couldn’t we just confirm this with words? Do you really have to resort to fists?”

“If you intend to play word games, I have no intention of listening.”

“This isn’t a game.”

Thump.

I took off the martial arts uniform I was wearing and placed it on the floor.

“Actually, you know there’s no other answer besides this anyway, sir. Or rather-“

I stopped mid-sentence. Because I had to say something I’d never said to Paejon before.

“You know it too, Sabunim.”

Sabunim. Or teacher.

It was a word I hadn’t uttered since becoming Paejon’s disciple. But now, I had to say it.

“Haha.”

Paejon’s laughter deepened. This was the crossroads. Because that guy was on the verge of exploding.

“I have no memory of teaching you. Do I look like I’ve gone mad?”

“Judging by how you act, it’s pretty similar.”

“What?”

Oops. I accidentally pushed his buttons a bit too much. It was just a habit.

“……Anyway. You definitely haven’t taught me. At least, not right now.”

“Right now?”

“Yes. You heard me.”

Creak. I loosened my body slightly. I showed signs of fatigue from the sudden, intense movement. A slight weariness, unfelt in the Man-gye, crept in.

“I traveled back in time.”

“……”

At my words, Paejon’s brow furrowed.

“What do you mean? Are you saying you turned back time and came to the past?”

“Oh, that’s right. You’re smart?”

“Ha!”

Kugung!

At my words, a stronger gust of wind than before emanated from Paejon’s body. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but tremble.

‘Strong.’

I knew we were just sparring, and Paejon knew it too, but this level of pressure was quite troublesome.

But.

“What absurd wordplay.”

“It’s not wordplay.”

Kuuuuung–!!

Since I couldn’t afford to back down either, I unleashed all the strength I was holding back. As I fully unleashed the aura of Tua-pa Cheonmu, it mingled with Paejon’s aura.

The same aura.

The two auras, existing only twice in the current Central Plains, intertwined as if resonating.

“If not that, how else can you explain the current situation?”

“……”

Paejon frowned. It was the kind of statement no one would believe. Traveling back in time to the past? What kind of lunatic would say such a thing?

‘I wouldn’t have believed it either if it were me.’

It’s understandable for me since I actually experienced it. But Paejon hadn’t. So, I had to show him.

“This. It was all made possible by you, Sabunim.”

Gwagagagagak-!

The power of Tua-pa Cheonmu that I had gained through my experiences. I showed it to Paejon.

“You still don’t believe it even after seeing this?”

The torrent of power like a gale, the blade-like energy emanating from my body-Paejon stared intently at it.

Then.

Shhhiik-! He suddenly retracted the aura he was emitting, and I followed suit, dispersing my own.

“I cannot believe it.”

Paejon said. Well, of course, it wouldn’t be easy to believe.

“Then what?”

“Then prove it.”

“Yes……?”

Feigning surprise, I widened my eyes.

“Prove it, no matter what it takes. How could something like that be possible?”

Paejon asked. Just as I expected. I knew Paejon would ask something like this. That’s why I had already prepared my answer.

“I don’t know.”

“Huh?”

It was the optimal answer.

“I don’t know either. I died, and when I opened my eyes, I was in the past.”

It wasn’t something else, but something I experienced. I used that as collateral. Since it wasn’t a lie, it was easy to say.

“Died……? You call that a statement?”

“Even if you don’t believe me, this is the truth. I died once, and when I opened my eyes, it was the past.”

“So, before you died, you were my disciple?”

“That’s right.”

“Since when? Since when did you become my disciple?”

“By the timeline, it was right around when you came to the Alliance, Sabunim.”

“Back then.”

“Yes. It was when I was taking the test.”

This is where it gets important. I started weaving together what I had experienced with what hadn’t happened.

“It was the same back then. You suddenly approached me after seeing me and told me to become your disciple.”

“And?”

“What do you mean ‘and’? When one of the Three Sovereigns of the world tells you to become their disciple, you go right away, don’t you?”

“And after that, you trained under me? Ridiculous.”

Paejon laughed after hearing my explanation.

“It’s unbelievable. The reason I approached you was because I sensed the aura of Tua-pa Cheonmu from your body.”

“……”

As expected. Hearing that, I realized. That guy really seemed to have grasped my hidden aura the moment he saw me. What a monstrous old man.

“But you asked me to be your disciple right away? That’s nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense.”

Still, I continued speaking.

“You said it right away. This body. That it was what you had been searching for.”

“……!”

Paejon’s eyes widened upon hearing that. It seemed this was the correct answer.

‘He started searching from then.’

Someone who would master Tua-pa Cheonmu. Someone else who would achieve the dream he himself likely couldn’t. That’s what Paejon was looking for. Wasn’t it the same when he first saw me? He had to find the perfect body.

“Ha……”

He’s wavering. I immediately pressed on.

“It was hell from the start. The martial arts techniques felt like they were tearing my body apart. You, calling yourself Sabunim, made me repeat movements endlessly, saying each one was crucial. You even told me to punch a cave wall to excavate it…… It was a series of absurd trainings.”

“……”

Paejon was speechless. He probably had nothing to say. Because these were all training methods I had actually gone through.

“At first, I regretted it, wondering what kind of techniques these were. But there was no way back.”

“……So?”

“What else? I just learned diligently as instructed.”

“No, besides that.”

“Yes?”

“Did you achieve Great Accomplishment?”

“Ah.”

Paejon asked about that, even in this situation. He was truly a consistent person. I shrugged and answered.

“Not yet. Still a long way to go.”

Even though I achieved Great Accomplishment with Gu-yeom Hwaryun Gong, I couldn’t with Tua-pa Cheonmu. This damn difficult martial art wasn’t easily mastered.

“But you came back? Without mastering it?”

“No, I died, what could I do?”

“How did you die?”

“It was an attack.”

This time too, I mixed truth with lies.

“An attack?”

“Yes. It was an organization whose name I don’t even know…… they instantly pushed aside the Murim Alliance and took over the Central Plains.”

“That’s absurd. Taking over the Murim Alliance? This place has Geom-jon, that senile old man.”

Paejon reacted as if he couldn’t believe it. A place where not just anyone, but Geom-jon himself resided. Pushing that aside and taking over seemed unbelievable even to Paejon. Is this Geom-jon’s influence? While finding it curious. There was only one thing I could say.

“That is the truth. I died then.”

“……And you returned by traveling back in time?”

“Yes. I needed time to build my strength. I emerged when the time was right.”

“So, at that age, you achieved that level of mastery?”

“That’s right.”

“……”

There really was no other way besides regression. Paejon, having experienced my power firsthand, would know. That regression was truly the only answer. That’s why he was contemplating it, even if he couldn’t believe it.

‘Well then.’

I had to push further. To make him truly believe, I needed to use not only myself but also him.

“Sabunim.”

“……”

“Since we’re being open now, I might as well say it.”

I said, glancing into Paejon’s eyes.

“What you’re planning to do. Don’t do it.”

“……What are you talking about?”

“That foolish endeavor you’re thinking of to achieve your goal.”

“……!”

Paejon reacted intensely. He seemed to know what I was talking about.

“Returning to youth. If you do that, you’ll regret it.”

“How could you…!”

Paejon’s secret, which only I in this world should know. It was about something that hadn’t happened yet, but would eventually.

“What do you mean?”

I said as calmly as possible.

“You suddenly disappeared during training, saying it wouldn’t work. Then you became a baby…… sigh……”

“……”

“And your body became weak, unable to perform even a fraction of your original skills, regretting that you shouldn’t have done it.”

“……”

“After finding a disciple, why would you do it yourself…… I really don’t get it.”

Because Paejon, having found a disciple, wouldn’t have needed to perform Banro Hwandong. I mentioned his dilemma and brought this up as well. He might think he shouldn’t do it, but saying it as if I had already experienced it carried a different weight.

“Truly. You’re saying you traveled back in time?”

“Yes.”

“……”

Paejon fell silent, seemingly lost in thought. Knowing it wouldn’t take long, I waited patiently.

“I have one more question.”

As expected, Paejon, having quickly finished his contemplation, asked me.

“You said you learned from me. Tell me the most memorable thing among them.”

“……Yes?”

The most memorable thing?

“……Are you talking about martial arts or techniques?”

“Whatever it is. Tell me something that can convince me.”

“……”

“Hmm.”

I scratched my cheek. Something that could convince him.

‘Even if it’s not that.’

The most memorable thing. I recalled this quickly too. The most memorable thing. As soon as I thought of it, something immediately came to mind.

“You know.”

“What is it?”

Paejon said it like it was his catchphrase. The words that had become like a curse upon me, driving my actions.

“Do it until you succeed.”

“……What?”

“Nothing is impossible. You just have to keep doing it until you succeed.”

“……”

Martial arts, techniques. Everything had been reconstructed by Paejon. But the most important thing among them was this.

“Sabunim. This is what I learned from you.”

“……”

At my words, Paejon was momentarily lost for words.

---

Kwadudeuk.

The Murim Alliance’s basement. A large corpse was brought into the place commonly called the Pungryongdae’s laboratory.

“Prepare yourselves!”

“Bring in the Section Chief!”

The members scrambled urgently, seeing the approaching monster’s corpse. Its bulk was large enough to fill the not-so-small room. Though it had lost its life quite some time ago. Its bulk, however, had not died.

A giant bear with sparse red fur. It was the corpse of the Jeokseok-ung, whose neck had just been severed by Geom-jon.

“……It really is crimson.”

“How could a crimson monster…?”

“Isn’t the Pungryongdae Chief here yet!”

The Pungryongdae personnel gasped in shock upon seeing the crimson monster. A monster appearing so suddenly. Everyone’s eyes showed disbelief. A high-grade monster that hadn’t appeared in hundreds of years. This was shocking enough. Even setting that aside, it held immense research value. The Alliance Leader had even issued an order to research monsters. It was a time when everyone needed to work without rest.

Yet, amidst the bustle.

“Hmm……”

One person. Among the bustling personnel, there was a young man standing quietly alone. He rolled his eyes as he looked at the brought-in monster and spoke.

“What in the world is going on?”

A reaction of incomprehension. The young man’s eyes, as he spoke, were an unnervingly crimson color.